Minnesota adds 7,700 jobs in May

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - For the third straight month, Minnesota saw a labor force gain, according to data released by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. 

7,700 new jobs were added in May raising the labor force participation rate 0.01% to 68.2%. Additionally, the unemployment rate increased 0.1% to 2.9%.

DEED says most of the jobs gains were in the business & professional services (2,900 jobs) and leisure and hospitality sectors (2,300 jobs). 

"A growing labor force is the latest sign of strength for Minnesota’s economy," Temporary DEED Commissioner Kevin McKinnon said in a release. "Employers constantly tell us that they need more workers to fill their open roles. Now, we’ve seen back-to-back months during which more workers are pursuing jobs around the state. This is great news for Minnesota workers and employers, and we will work hard to make sure this trend continues." 

Minnesota is still ahead of the country as a whole when it comes to employment. Nationally the Labor Force participation rate is 62.6% and the Unemployment rate is 3.7%.